Update on Castaway Cay?

[Sconny]

I have seen a tent used before on Serenity Bay, but this was a couple years back before they changed where you could swim. The people went as far down the beach as they could before going into the groves (guessing they wanted there own space), so they were not near anyone to bother with it. This was in the no lifeguard days so there was not going to be anyone to say no unless the drink people wanted to walk the 1/2 mile to tell them.

 

[Haley R]

Does anyone know if the bike seats are padded or should I bring bike shorts?

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

They're padded like the 'cruiser' bikes; not hard like road bikes. We routinely pedal about the island and often do it in wet bathing suits. No problems at all.

 

[Haley R]

They're padded like the 'cruiser' bikes; not hard like road bikes. We routinely pedal about the island and often do it in wet bathing suits. No problems at all.

Okay thank you!

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Does anyone know if the bike seats are padded or should I bring bike shorts?

No need for those. These are the beach cruiser type bikes. The path is paved and flat. It's fun-enjoy your cruise!

 

[tee11]

Yes, the snorkeling is open, and lots of people are out snorkeling when we were there, we did as well.​

However, just a caution, if you, like us, remember the reef from before.... sadly, Cat 5 Dorian did very extensive damage under water. I spoke at length to one of the lifeguards who are stationed out around the snorkel lagoon. It's going to take time for all the coral to grow back.... if you've never snorkeled (there) before you will not notice, but the life guard said everyone worked so hard to repair everything above ground, but the damage from a Cat 5 under water... most people are not aware... yes, it's significant... we still enjoyed it very much and the submerged Minnie, submarine, etc. etc. are all still there... just the marine life took a huge hit unfortunately.

Yes the Snorkeling is open...lots of people out there having fun...We did not go out that far but it looked shallow as we could see people standing way out where I thought it to be normally deeper...But I am at Serenity Bay normally (except for this trip, see previous post) so I am not the best judge of what it was like before the Hurricane this Sept.

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[Haley R]

We just got back today from our cruise. We went to Serenity Bay and it was pretty difficult to get a chair, but we went after our 5k run. We did find some of the short chairs (not loungers) and stuck them in the shade in front of some loungers so that worked out fine. The water at that beach was VERY clear and the sand was pushed up to the beach so you could walk all the way out to the buoys. We did snorkel and there weren't very many fish. We assumed it was from the hurricane. The water was very murky, too. We did manage to see one stingray, a puffer fish, and the "ship wreck". We were pretty much done by that point because we had to swim out really far just to see that and I was tired from running. There didn't seem to be a lot of coral, mostly just seaweed. We still had a lot of fun, though, and I think they've done some really good work to make it look nice. We had never been there before so I wouldn't have noticed anything being different, but we had a really nice time.

 

[MrsInsG]

I thought the island looked great on 11/8. We did not venture further than the family beach, though. It was a nice surprise to see the island decorated for Christmas.

 

[Haley R]

I thought the island looked great on 11/8. We did not venture further than the family beach, though. It was a nice surprise to see the island decorated for Christmas.

We loved seeing the Christmas decorations! Did you see the gingerbread house on the ship?

 

[MrsInsG]

We loved seeing the Christmas decorations! Did you see the gingerbread house on the ship?

Yes! They worked on it throughout the week and had a wall around it. The wall came down on Friday night and it was gorgeous!

 

[Mom24Princesses]

These were on 10/18

 

[Haley R]

Yes! They worked on it throughout the week and had a wall around it. The wall came down on Friday night and it was gorgeous!

This was our first cruise and it was so awesome to get a little Christmas thrown in as a surprise

 

[Haley R]

These are from 11/8

 

[Corwin]

We were at Serenity Bay this past May on the Fantasy, and again on October 30th on the Magic. We thought Serenity Bay was in better shape now than it was back in May. It was also much less crowded (probably because we were on a smaller ship).

In May, there was a steep slope where the loungers were. At some point between May and October, it looks like they flattened out the slope with construction equipment. The beach was pretty narrow in the morning (at high tide), but got about three times wider in the afternoon as the tide went out.

We actually had the best day we've ever had at Castaway Cay this past trip. The water and weather were both perfect!

 

[mostlytraveling4food]

We were on Castaway on Sunday, and there's definitely a lot of shells and rocks on the Family Cabana side. You'll have to go about 30 feet out for it to be mostly sand under your toes.

 

[tvguy]

Yes! They worked on it throughout the week and had a wall around it. The wall came down on Friday night and it was gorgeous!

Our cruise was over New Years, and as we waited in line to get off the ship and the end of the cruise we got to watch a couple of burly guys take sledge hammers to the ginger bread house!

 

[pangyal]

Thank you all for the updates! Can anyone please let me know whether the stingray activity has been back up and running recently?

 

[SamFaniam]

At some point between May and October, it looks like they flattened out the slope with construction equipment. The beach was pretty narrow in the morning (at high tide), but got about three times wider in the afternoon as the tide went out.

I think that construction equipment was called hurricane Dorian.

 

[mostlytraveling4food]

Thank you all for the updates! Can anyone please let me know whether the stingray activity has been back up and running recently?

As of 11/10/19, the Island Info chalkboard said the 9am Stingray activity was canceled.

 

[DisBNewB]

As of 11/10/19, the Island Info chalkboard said the 9am Stingray activity was canceled.

I think that might be day-by-day, because when we were there on 10/30/19, it was open.